Soap-saver.



No. 7||,72. f Patenten ont. 2|, |902.

P. LEONI.

SUAP SAVER.

Application led Apr. 29, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

m: ohms crans no. Pun-rauwe., wnsnmmou. nA c.

No. 7||,372. Ptented oct. 2|, |992.`

P. LEoNl.

SOAP SAVER.

(Application filed Apr. 29, 1902.\

l(No Mudel.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. I l ZW/venan' UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.l

PHILIPPE LEONI, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

SOAP-SAVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 711,872, dated October21, 1902- Applicfttion filed April 29, 1902. Serial No. 105,198. (Nomodel.)

. clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for cutting or raspingsoap for use in hotel and other lavatories characterized by thecombinatiomvwith asoap-rasp, of a soapbox provided with a' centralguide-bar, this central guide-bar being arranged to receive a cake ofsoap provided for this purpose with a central perforation, the object ofwhich is to insure that the said cake of soap maintains a normalposition with respect to the scraping or rasping instrument by means ofwhich the soap is shredded or cut into chips, shavings, or powder.

My improved apparatus also comprises a piston or diaphragm acted upon bya spring which can be held back or cocked to permit a cake of soap to beintroduced into the soap-box and which is automatically released topress the soap against the rasping instrument when the soap-box isplaced in the body of the apparatus. I also provide a suitable lock andkey to prevent thesoap placed in the apparatus being stolen.

My invention will be readily understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure lis afront view, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig. 3 a vertical section, of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the soap-box withwhich my improved apparatus is provided, and Fig. 5 is an under sidevieur thereof. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of thev said soap-box, thethrust-spring being shown uncooked or released; and Fig. 7 is a similarview to Fig. 6, showing the thrust-spring cocked or restrained.V Fig. 8shows a piece of perforated soap such as I employ in my improvedapparatus. Fig.9 is a plan view thereof. Fig. l0 shows a square-barreledkey for unlocking the soap-box from the body of the apparatus. Fig. 11indicates Vvarious forms of soap-box guide-bars viewed end on which canbe employed in my improved apparatus, corresponding perforations beingformed in the cakes of soap.

- e on the outside.

In the figures like reference-letters indicate the same parts.

As shown in the drawings, myimproved apparatus comprises a cylindricalpart a, at.- tached to a spherical part b, beneath which adischarge-hopper e is arranged. In" the cylindrical part ct` is placedthe soap-boxf, arranged to feed the soap toward the spherical part b, inwhich is placed a cylindrical or other suitable rasp or scraper d,which, as here shown, is mounted en a horizontal spindle e and operatedby means of a suitable handle The shreds, chips, shavings, or powder cutfrom the soap by the rasp or scraper d when the handle e/ is rotatedfall out through the hopper c. v

The soap-box comprises a cylindrical part f, closed at its upper end bya plug g, by whichy it may be handled or carried. Centrally dis- 'posedin the soap-bony is a guide-bar h, having radiating ribs. Aroundthis'guide are mounted a spiral spring i and a piston or diaphragm j,which is arrested againsta circular shoulder 7o when the spring isextended sufficiently. The piston j carries a spring-catch p l, whichwhen the piston is drawn back, compressing the spring t', projects intoa hole or recess provided in the cylindrical wall of the soap-box f, sothat the spring 1l can be kept compressed. 4

The cakes of soap n which l employ are preferably cylindrical andperforated with axial holes o, corresponding to the shape of theguide-bar h. When it is required to place a cake of soap within thesoap-box f, the piston j is drawn back, compressing the spring When thishas been done, the soap n is threaded over the guide h, which is held bythe perforations h. Then the whole is placed in the cylindrical body ofthe apparatus. The act of putting the soap-,box finto this cylindricalbody portion'of .the apparatus releases the catch Z, while at the sametime a spring-controlled lock-bolt p engages the' shoulder q. Thesoap-box being thus locked to the body of the apparatus, the piston jis` released, and the spring thrusts the soap against the scraping orrasping instrument d.

The soap is supported in an upright position in the apparatus by theguide-bar h.

When it is necessary to remove the soapbox f to refill the same with anew piece of soap, a key r is inserted to turn the pin s, by

IOO

which the lock-bolt p can be withdrawn to release the soap-box f, whichcan then be lifted by the knob g and withdrawn from the cylindrical bodyportion of the apparatus.

The complete apparatus can be easily fixedv to a wall by brackets t t orthe like.

In place of a three-armed guide-bar, as in the above example, I canemploy any of the forms shown in end elevation in Fig. 11 of thedrawings or any other suitable form, correspondingly-shaped perforationsbeing provided inthe cake of soap.

The details, forms, and accessories, materials, and dimensions of myimproved apparatus can be Varied Without departing from the nature of mysaid invention. Thus, for example, I may replace the spring 1I by aWeight which can be held up by a chain in order to prevent it fromfalling out of the soap-boXf. In this instance the weight is suitablyperforated to pass over the guidebar. Any other suitable arrangement canbe used to lock the soap-box f in the body portion a of the apparatus,so as to minimize loss by thefts of soap-for example, a slidebolt, orbayonet-joint and padlock, orthe like.

Qne or more grooves in the periphery of the cake of soap can besubstituted for the central perforation, equivalent ribs or walls beingprovided in the soap-box. The key fr can be replaced by any othersuitable form of key.

I claim- Y 1. In combination, means for cutting the soap,a box,afollower therein to press the soap to -the cutter and a guide-bar forthe soap having ribs, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a cutter, a casing therefor, a soap-box, asp-ring-pressed follower in the soapbox and a catch for holding thefollower retracted, said catch being released automatically by contactwith a part of the casing when the soap-box is inserted in place,substantially as described. Y

The foregoing specification of my improved apparatus for cutting orrasping soap for use in hotel and other lavatories signed by me this17th day of April, .1902.

PHILIPPE LEONI.

